Former leading New Zealand publisher and bookseller, and widely experienced judge of both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, talks about what he is currently reading, what impresses him and what doesn't, along with chat about the international English language book scene, and links to sites of interest to booklovers.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Understanding our world and ourselves: Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books Shortlist Announced

Six inspirational books
that help readers to better understand themselves and the world around them
have been selected as the shortlist for The Royal Society Winton Prize for
Science Books. The shortlist, announced today (25 September 2012), is
composed of:

Moonwalking
with Einstein by Joshua Foer, published by Allen Lane (Penguin Books)

An exploration of human
memory

The judges said: “Moonwalking
with Einstein is a real page turner that tells a wonderful story – you are
compelled to get to the end to find out what happens and the story bounces
along with a jaunty air. Foer has a very down to earth style and in the
true spirit of the scientist conducts his experiment with himself as the ‘test
particle’.”

My Beautiful
Genome by Lone Frank, published by Oneworld

A personal perspective on
human genetics

The judges said: “My
Beautiful Genome puts a personal story at the heart of the science. To
some extent we are all narcissists and we want to learn more about ourselves,
Frank provides us with an insight into how our genes help to define us. She
keeps you wanting to read more.”

The
Information by James Gleick, published by Fourth Estate

The story of information
and how it is used, transmitted and stored.

The judges said: “The
Information is an audacious book and offers remarkable insight. Gleick
takes us, with verve and fizz, on a journey from African drums to computers,
liberally sprinkling delightful factoids along the way. This is a book we
need to give us a fresh perspective on how we communicate and how that shapes
our world.”

The
Hidden Reality by Brian Greene, published by Allen Lane (Penguin Books)

An examination of parallel
universes and the laws of the cosmos

The judges said: “Multiverses
and quantum measurement are not easy subjects but Greene sets about giving
insight through metaphor in a very enjoyable way. The Hidden Reality
is a beautiful manifesto for exploring the outer reaches of scientific
enquiry. You will not understand everything but you will enjoy trying.”

The
Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, published by Allen Lane (Penguin
Books)

An assessment of the
decline of violence in history and its causes

The judges said: “The
Better Angels of our Nature pushes the boundaries of the science book in a
refreshing way. Pinker takes an intriguing idea and attempts to
scrutinise it in a scientific manner – it is a bold intellectual endeavour and
at the same time a great read.”

The
Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe, published by Allen Lane (Penguin Books)

An exploration of the world
of the virus

The judges said: “The
Viral Storm is a fascinating look at our relationship with viruses. It
will terrify some readers and reassure others. Wolfe’s passion for
exploring and explaining draw you into the world of the virus and may make you
reassess our relationship with that world.”

Professor Jocelyn Bell
Burnell DBE FRS, Chair of the judges, said: “This year’s shortlist is made up
of fascinating, provocative books that really made us think about ourselves and
the world around us - and parallel worlds . The books explore
emerging issues, such as pandemics, as well as the more fundamental questions
of what it truly means to be human, from our genetics, to our memories or our
propensity for violence. Choosing a winner from these books, each of
which has provided us with wonderful new insights, is a daunting prospect.”

This year’s shortlist
includes three authors who are new to the prize, two who have been previously
shortlisted (James Gleick and Steven Pinker) and one previous winner (Brian
Greene).

William Hill’s odds for the
shortlisted books are as follows:

2/1
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker

3/1
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

5/1
My Beautiful Genome by Lone Frank

5/1
The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe

6/1
The Information by James Gleick

7/1
The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene

Graham Sharpe, Media
Relations Director at William Hill, said: ‘This
award has consistently proved that science does not have to be dull; all of
these books are tremendously readable as well as informative. It has been tough
to select a betting favourite, and I don’t envy the judges their task of naming
the winner!’

The winner will be
announced at a public event and award ceremony at the Royal Society on 26th
November 2012 and awarded £10,000. The authors of each shortlisted book will
receive £1000.